Matt Cavanaugh (he/him) MA, LMHC
*Not accepting clients at this time*
360.224.1720
About me
We all seek purpose, peace, and a means of feeling connected. In my life, nature has been the path to all of these things. During childhood, I was a member of the Boy Scouts of America and attained the rank of Eagle Scout while learning - among other things - the comfort and healing that can be found in the natural world. During my undergraduate education I worked with children at a summer camp while simultaneously pursuing a certification as an Emergency Medical Technician; I came to life in these new roles of guide/mentor and EMT. Blending healing and contact with the mountains and woods felt natural to me.
When I became a Wilderness EMT I began to realize that my calling was indeed helping others in nature, just not in the realm of emergency medicine. I then enrolled in the Transpersonal Counseling Psychology program at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, with a specialty in Wilderness Therapy. I had found my direction studying counseling grounded in mindfulness practice and emphasizing connection with nature and other human beings.
Following graduation, I spent a year working for the Colorado Outward Bound School, primarily helping to facilitate wilderness-based growth and healing for adolescents processing grief. I then worked for an organization providing counseling and life coaching to young adults with a variety of mental health concerns. Since moving back to Washington in 2015 I have worked with children, adolescents, and adults with a variety of mental
Issues
Personal growth
Anxiety
Depression
Mood disorders
Gender identity
Family challenges
Relationship challenges
Rights of Passage
Wilderness Journeys
Self-designed ceremony
Ages
Children (~ 4 and up)
Adolescents
Adults
health diagnoses and behavioral challenges. I have completed additional
training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing, Non-Violent Communication, and Suicide Risk Assessment. Now at New Moon Counseling, this breadth of experience and training converge to offer you a uniquely nuanced counselor eager to walk with you on your path towards growth.
Therapeutic Approach
Making the decision to seek counseling is often a very difficult process. As you look to begin a counseling relationship, the right fit is critical. When we work together, you can expect directness, compassion, curiosity, and gratitude. My approach draws heavily on Gestalt Theory, includes a consistent grounding in mindfulness practice, and blends in contact with nature. The result is an exploration of your thoughts, behaviors, emotions, and sensations in the present moment with the intention of growing awareness around and insight into your unique experience of the world. I operate under the assumption that our emotional wounding occurs in relationship with other humans; only through reparative relationships can our wounds be truly healed. We will work together to explore the challenges you face through the context of our intentionally grown therapeutic relationship.